Euro-Mid Observer for Human Rights has distributed a video
recording captured by a journalist working for Media Town. The Video shows two
Israeli worships pursuing five Palestinian fishing boats owned by Gazan
citizens in the Gazan waters. The footage was recorded at 10: 30 Tuesday
morning, August 28.

Euro-Mid condemned the ruthless attack of the Israeli warships which
directly endangered the lives of Palestinian fishermen. Meanwhile, Euro-Mid
warned against the continuation of such barbarous practices in the absence of
international monitoring and deterrence.

Euro-Mid considered the attack one of the many systematic practices
used by Israel to destroy the fishing sector in the Gaza Strip, a sector that
sustains more than 70,000 residents at time of high levels of unemployment and
poverty due to Israeli siege.

Euro-Mid noted the attack occurred within the three nautical mile
limit set by Israeli military. The fishing boats shown in the video, in fact,
were chased at a distance of less than two nautical miles from shore which is an
evident violation of the international law and the Israel's own law.

A detailed report by Euro-Mid was issued last May concluded that
Israeli authorities did not only limit the permissible fishing zone, but also
intended to prevent a great number of fishermen( around 3600) from practicing
their own trade freely and safely, even within the permissible 3-mile limit,
using its warships.

Euro-Mid report documented an estimate number
of 150 violations per year committed by Israel against Gaza fishermen including
arbitrarily arrests and shootings, in addition to dumping, vandalizing, and
confiscating fishing boats.